At Wordkrapht, we take pride in covering all genres and artists from all over the world. With our FeminINDIE feature, we found plenty of talent outside of the US, and Celeste Buckingham definitely made our heads turn. Born in Switzerland, and raised in Slovakia, the 18-year-old started writing music at the tender age of 12. Through her teens, Celeste has been creating music and was even nominated for an MTV European Music Award. Her hit single, “Run, Run, Run” became one of the most played songs on the radio in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, but she’s beginning to make waves in the United States, too, with a Radio Disney Music Award nomination for Best New Artist in April, 2014.

Once you listen to Buckingham’s, “Run, Run, Run,” you’ll be hooked with the catchy beat (with hand claps assisting) and her smooth, soulful, pitch perfect vocals. The track is fun and will easily be put on repeat. It’s easy to compare most indie artists to popular singers dominating the radio waves, but Celeste has developed her own voice and identity at a young age. With her being so young, you may expect lyrics that reflect her age, but Buckingham has a way of writing that puts her beyond her years. Just listen to “I’m Not Sorry,” which possesses a more haunting sound and is all about not apologizing for who you are – a concept most can relate to.

Wordkrapht had the opportunity to ask Celeste a few questions to learn more about the artist who is fluent in four languages and is calling Nashville home these days.

Tell us how you got your start in the music business.
I was always writing songs and singing. At age 12 I recorded my first amateur album with my younger sister, but I officially entered the music business at the age of 15 when I entered the “Superstar Competition,” which is the European version of American Idol. I released my debut album about half a year after the end of the competition.

Out of all of the places in the world, what brought you to Nashville, Tennessee?
I was doing some part time songwriting work in Nashville during my last year of high school. So, when I was getting ready to apply for college, I applied to Belmont University so that I could work and study in the same town.

Who or what influences you when creating your music?
A whole range of people, but I get really inspired by legendary women such as Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, Barbra Streisand, to more recent ones such as Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse, Joss Stone, and Adele.

What can fans expect when they come to a live show?
I enjoy the shows more than anyone else. When I am at the live performance I have a really good time and share my music with them and get them to be part of it. I love to communicate with people and I use my music to communicate with my fans. I want them to go home having had fun and taking an extra bit of positive energy home for the next day.

What’s your favorite thing to see in the audience while you’re on stage?
I want to see that they are having fun, enjoying themselves, and I like to think that I tough their feelings and give them something tha they can relate to.

“I’m Not Sorry” is a very powerful song and it seems like there’s a lot of emotions behind the music. Did you write the track based on a personal experience?
I have always been interested in the cause of women and girls. I am often really concerned about how much we, women, living in freedom take for granted while many women around the world are deprived of their most basic human rights such as education and freedom of speech. It is obviously not about my life, but about something very close to my heart.

Who is your dream artist to go on tour with and why?
There are quite a few groups or artists that I would love to tour with, but I have always wanted to tour with Maroon 5, and I think that it would be quite the dream come true.

What’s next for Celeste Buckingham?
At present I am a judge on the X Factor in Czech Republic and Slovakia. I have also played in a fairytale movie that will be released in the fall. I have written the soundtrack to the movie which will be my next single to be released in the fall. It will be a busy year for me, and that’s exactly how I love it.

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Author Spotlight

Melissa Landrin

Music has always been a passion of Melissa’s as long as she can remember. At a young age, she was exposed to all genres through her concert promoter uncle who sent her CD’s, took her to many shows, and still tells her stories from the thirty plus years in the business. She was involved in concert band in school playing the clarinet. After college, she discovered she had some talent as a singer and began to sing karaoke on a weekly basis. Melissa also sang lead vocals in a local cover band for about two years. She enjoys checking out independent acts in small venues around the Philadelphia area and occasionally attends concerts in larger venues, but her real love is in the small venue atmosphere. In March 2012, Melissa discovered another love for writing about music when she wrote many reviews for an online indie music magazine. Since she was young, Melissa always had a dream of teaching young children and also being able to pursue music in some way. She’s living her dream by teaching preschool by day and being involved with WORDKRAPHT at night and on the weekends. Read Full